Bible Stories for Adults

by James K. Morrow

Short fiction of biblical proportions—and bent—from the science fiction satirist and author of The Godhead Trilogy.   James Morrow, “the most provocative satiric voice in science fiction,” unabashedly delves into matters both sacred and secular in this collection of short stories buoyed by his deliciously irreverent wit (The Washington Post). Among the dozen selections is the Nebula Award–winning story, “The Deluge,” in which a woman of ill repute is rescued by the crew of the ark, who must deal with the consequences of their misguided act of mercy. Also included is a follow-up to the Tower of Babel fable, an unprecedented nativity, and an attempt to stand so-called creation science on its head.   Nothing is spared in a collection that “deliciously skewer[s] not only Judeo-Christian mythology but other sacred cows of modern society, from capitalism to New Age spiritualism” (Booklist).   “Morrow’s is a blend of parody and commentary which challenges readers to reflect upon the human spiritual condition.” —Midwest Book Review  

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Short Stories, Science Fiction, Religion, Satire, Speculative Fiction

201 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Born in 1947, James Kenneth Morrow has been writing fiction ever since he, as a seven-year-old living in the Philadelphia suburbs, dictated “The Story of the Dog Family” to his mother, who dutifully typed it up and bound the pages with yarn. This three-page, six-chapter fantasy is still in the author’s private archives. Upon reaching adulthood, Jim produced nine novels of speculative fiction, including the critically acclaimed Godhead Trilogy. He has won the World Fantasy Award (for Only Begotten Daughter and Towing Jehovah), the Nebula Award (for “Bible Stories for Adults, No. 17: The Deluge” and the novella City of Truth), and the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award (for the novella Shambling Towards Hiroshima). A fulltime fiction writer, Jim makes his home in State College, Pennsylvania, with his wife, his son, an enigmatic sheepdog, and a loopy beagle. He is hard at work on a novel about Darwinism and its discontents.

Reviews

[Lawyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A former psychology professor of mine who has more PhDs than any man I know happens to be my next door neighbor. A voracious reader, particularly when it comes to science fiction and fantasy, "Uncle Howard" has continued to broaden my education with recommendations on a regular basis.

The Professor introduced me to James Morrow, lending me his copy of "The Last Witchfinder," which is shelved and reviewed elsewhere. I recommend it highly. The fact that one of the main characters in TLW is Isaac Newton's "Principles of Mathematics" lets you know that Morrow tells a tale with a twist.

"Bible Stories for Adults" is no exception. However, it's all the more delightful because it's an anthology of satirical short stories, each with its own twist. Morrow leads off with "The Deluge," dealing with the great flood. "The Deluge" won the Nebula for best short story in 1989. Morrow offers an explanation for the existence of evil in the world after the planet was supposedly cleansed.

In "The Tower," a fellow named David Nimrod, who bears a resemblance to a fellow named Trump, finds God is the tenant of the penthouse of the Nimrod Towers. God's not real happy with Nimrod's intended projects, Nimrod Gorge, which will surpass the Grand Canyon. Of course, with all that excavated earth, Nimrod has to do something with it. Nimrod Mountain will surpass Mt. McKinley in height. Nimrod's ability to speak in terms that no one ever understands leads God to believe that the incident of the Tower of Babel, leading to a diversity of incomprehensible languages may not have been such a good idea. Maybe it's time for a change.

Considering a treaty to end the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln jumps ahead in time, to see the consequences of bringing the war to a close. While his visit to McDonald's was impressive, he's not real happy with the state of race relations. Although set in fantasy, it's a scathing contemporary view of how a majority views a minority.

"Arms and the Woman," is a fantastic tale of how the Trojan War really ended. When Helen of Troy realizes how many deaths she has been responsible for, she decides to bring the war to a close singlehandedly. Morrow's rendition of the ensuing truce talks between the Trojans and the Greeks will reduce you to tears of laughter, or simply tears.

Morrow has been writing since 1981. I have a number of additional anthologies and novels to explore. Not all of Morrow's works have received favorable reviews, particularly his earliest efforts. However, the reviews indicate that the more he writes, the better he gets.

From my limited reading of Morrow at this point, I'd say he enjoys skewering straw men whether they are representatives of organized religion or the contemporary rationalist. Intolerance is a target for Morrow whatever its source.

Many thanks to my former professor, neighbor, and well read friend. Wondering what he'll pull off the shelf next when I return this one.

[Ubik 2.0 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sacre (ri)Scritture

James Morrow (Philadelphia, 1947) ha avuto negli anni ‘90 e nell’ambito della Science Fiction il suo maggior periodo di popolarità, in patria ma anche in Italia in misura minore. Dopo il 2000 ha continuato a produrre romanzi e racconti ottenendo ulteriori riconoscimenti in USA, ma purtroppo non è stato più tradotto e pubblicato da noi.

Personalmente ho sempre apprezzato la sua originalità, che lo colloca fra i migliori nel genere “Fantascienza satirica”, non proprio con la profondità di un Kurt Vonnegut né con l’irresistibile umorismo di Douglas Adams (autori cui peraltro può essere accostato), bensì con la propensione a situazioni e temi biblici e in generale para-religiosi che si collocano fra l’irreverenza e la blasfemia come fin dal titolo indica quello che è il suo romanzo capolavoro “L’ultimo viaggio di Dio”.

Di recente ho scoperto fra le poche opere a suo tempo pubblicate in Italia l’esistenza di questa raccolta che ovviamente si colloca nel filone sopra descritto e introduce nell’esilarante sarabanda delle Storie di bibbia per adulti.

Alcuni racconti sono gioielli di inventiva ed ironia e di grande abilità nella sottile arte del paradosso, trasfigurando i miti biblici della Creazione e del Vecchio Testamento e regalandoci un Diluvio Universale e una Torre di Babele in salsa “pulp”, fino alla parodia delle tavole dei 10 Comandamenti, distrutte in migliaia di frammenti da un accesso d’ira di Mosé e ricostruite da un Computer narrante alcuni millenni più tardi…

Nello stile dei racconti si respira inevitabilmente un’aria tipica della S.F. del secolo scorso con una certa ingenuità narrativa e scarsa inclinazione all’aspetto tecnologico delle innovazioni futuristiche ma che si concentra piuttosto sugli effetti delle premesse paradossali e dei capovolgimenti di senso. Resta una piacevole sensazione di divertita fantasia e pervicace impertinenza di cui l’attuale fantascienza, per quel poco che mi capita di leggerne, mi pare malinconicamente carente.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

James K. Morrow is still weird.

[Jon]

3.3 stars

[Dean McIntyre · Rating 1 out of 5]

BIBLE STORIES FOR ADULTS by James K. Morrow -- Morrow has something of a cult following, singing his praises for originality and wit. I confess -- I didn't understand anything of this book. There are references, people, events from The Bible mentioned, but I can't figure out if this collection of stories is fantasy, religion, humor, sarcasm, science fiction, or what. If you're looking for faith, religion, theology, or anything biblical, look elsewhere.

[Keith B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love This Collection!!

I first read this as an agnostic and appreciated it for its parody. I am a Christian and now I appreciate this book for its illumination. Extremely clever and can't wait to share this with a few choice friends.

[Samantha C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

The Deluge knocked off .5 (Sorry Nebula) bcs it felt shallow and rushed

Shoutout to Daughter Earth for being my absolute favorite (making it in my top 5 fav short stories) and to Known But to God and Wilbur Hines for having us examine who (or what) America chooses to honor lol

[Vincent Yanez · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few of the short stories are brilliant and worth taking the time to read the book, a few are hard to get through, but overall a pretty good collection.

[Alexburchee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another outstanding book ftom this author.

Amusing takes on biblical tales and other mythologies. Bound to upset the Bible Belt. Funny and well written. Imaginative as always.

[Robert Woford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the one that started me on Morrow. I actually started reading the bible because of this collection.

[Kevin Barney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is funny, sad, and absolutely amazing. I love some of Morrow's stuff.

[Andre Phelps · Rating 3 out of 5]

More a 2 1/2 stars because of the muddled grouping of stories giving it an unbalanced tone.

[Vickie Woodard · Rating 2 out of 5]

NOT AN ACCURATE TITLE

A story collection using familiar tales as inspiration. Some are biblical.
The collection is uneven. Helen of Troy was my favorite.

[Christian Merkley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[Kevin Basantes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best science fiction is the one that makes you think. This gives you a lot to think about.

[Coda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I absolutely crazy bonkers would-die-for-it-if-it-was-a-person adore Number 31: The Covenant, and all the other ones kind of suck.

[Glen Engel-Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of short stories, including:

"Bible Stories for Adults, No. 17: The Deluge"--Not for the squeamish, this retelling of the Flood touches on some of Morrow's recurring themes. Why is it murder when humans kill, but not when God kills? What is the value of life? How should we live our lives? I did not find this as disgusting as when I first read it, but I'm also 10 years older.

"Daughter Earth"--I've written about this story before, and it was a pleasure to reread it. It is one of my favorites--a strange metaphorical tale that has character, humor, and a biosphere. This is the kind of story I want to write when I grow up.

"Known But to God and Wilbur Hines"--Well researched tale of World War I and how war is hell. It is okay, but we have seen the sentiment elsewhere, and, while the details are sharp and fresh, the actual plot and manner are a tad warmed over.

"Bible Stories for Adults, No. 20: The Tower"--I like this one a lot better than "The Deluge," possibly because of the great humor inherent in a story narrated by God himself. Morrow has a real gift for merging humor into his satire, and this is a prime example. The story itself, with its criticism of Donald Trump and the hubris of the well-off, and its method of turning the tables on the idea of Babel, is just marvelous.

"Spelling God with the Wrong Blocks"--This is a fabulous story. I finished this and, as with "Daughter Earth," thought, "This is the kind of thing that I try to write. A story that transposes one set of beliefs into the reference frame of another set of beliefs to put serious question marks into both absolutes." In this one, natural selection is seen as the "correct" and holy interpretation of evolution, and when the science missionaries try to convince the planet of androids that instead they were actually the result of special creation, things don't turn out so well. God, what a funny, but not so funny, story. Check double plus, highly recommended, in my top 20.

"The Assemblage of Kristin"--Another great story, about an organ donor whose parts don't seem to want to give up life. Wonderful details, interesting characters, and a marvelous story structure. You know, if this book continues with stories like this, Morrow is going to move into real favorite status with me. Is this his only story collection? (Well, no, there was the Pulphouse Author's Choice one, but this is the only major publisher collection, I think.)

"Bible Stories for Adults, No. 31: The Covenant"--Like "Spelling God..." this drops us into a apotheosis wherein what we find normal is switched. Instead of having Moses' law for over 2,000 years, this world has had to go without it, instead preserving the shattered bits of clay from Mt. Sinai. The purpose of the computer they build is to put the tablets together again, to reveal the holy word. But is it worth it? Great social commentary. Question: What is the purpose of the numbers to these bible stores for adults? In this collection, there are only four, but the last is numbered 46. Are there 42 more that
Morrow has not published?

"Abe Lincoln in McDonald's"--A little like the last story except the strange twist of having a very real Abe Lincoln in the future is almost too bizarre for words. The concept of slavery and society is always good for another story.

"The Confessions of Ebeneezer Scrooge"--Similar in style and substance to the Bible Stories, at least in that it picks grits with a story that ostensibly provides for modern morals. Morrow feels that greed shouldn't get off with just providing a turkey at Christmastime.

"Bible Stories for Adults, No. 46: The Soap Opera"--An examination of God's role in the life of Job. I'm reminded of XTC's "Dear God," and the line about how God has a lot of questions to answer about suffering. That's a great thing about the Bible Stories--the God of the Old Testament was so capricious that moving his actions into modern times make him look truly ridiculous. I was thinking that Morrow needs to tackle a New Testament story, but I guess that is what Only Begotten Daughter was about.

"Diary of a Mad Diety"--Great concept for a story--a man with the most extreme multiple personality disorder. And I liked several parts it this, but the latter third just did not seem. to match the inventiveness of the earlier parts.

"Arms and the Woman"--This is an example of the Iliad for Adults. What happens when Helen decides that she is not worth a war, a la Shaw. Nice idea, and the best part is the heroes over the truce table talking about how this is the war to make all war seem rational.

[Sam Kabo Ashwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short fantasy stories, many of them reworkings of biblical or other classical stories, with very lefty atheist politics. Job challenges God to a rematch, a prostitute is accidentally saved from the Flood, Helen of Troy curtails the Trojan War, etc.

Some of the stories are really quite effective, but as a group they begin to take on an unpleasant tone of crowing. (I speak as someone who shares pretty much all of the political stances displayed here.) There's a lack of restraint that makes the rhetoric feel like straw-man jeering. The happy endings despite overwhelmingly hostile environments start to seem as if there's a finger on the balance. Things are generally laid on rather too thick in too small a space; the misdeeds of the war-criminal Unknown Soldier, for instance, might have been credible at novel length, but in a short story he begins to feel like a thrown-together caricature. This is a shame, because a lot of the stories are fine ideas, and Morrow has a good feel for the pacing and structure of the form.

Also, there are two separate stories in which a woman from a pre-literate culture uses ice to preserve semen for future pregnancies (in each case, so that the heroine can roll on to her triumph without needing a man). Once would be silly, but get a pass. Twice, and you might as well just get your heroine pregnant by effort of pure will.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked up Bible Stories for Adults at Half-Price Books a few months ago ... I'd read two novels by James Morrow (Towing Jehovah & Blameless in Abbadon) and wanted to see how he did with short stories.

I was not disappointed. Morrow's work certainly isn't to everyone's taste - an interest in satire and a healthy skepticism regarding religion and morality are key, as well as an interest in speculative fiction. There is some dark humour to be found (tho I don't know if I'd say "cheerfully blasphemous", as the back cover does) as well as some stark imagery.

In this collection, he continues to examine (some might say attack) Christianity in particular and belief structures in general, not only by re-writing stories from The Good Book -- A sinner washes up next to Noah's Ark - should she be saved? Is God still testing others as he tested Job? What if Moses had dropped the Ten Commandments on his way back down the mountain? -- but also by examining other topics such as environmentalism (a woman gives birth to a biosphere) and medical advances (organ recipients being strangely influenced by the donor).

Highly recommended to those willing to question (and occasionally skewer) many commonly-held beliefs.

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would probably give this book two-and-a-half stars, but GoodReads does not offer that option. The reason is that I found the quality of the stories to be variable. A couple of them were very good, but others sort of dragged and did not seem very substantial at all. Out of the bunch, the one about the androids believing in evolution was probably the best one. It looked at a relevant topic, had a nice take on it, and it had a touch of humor. "Daughter Earth" was poignant and moving; I think many readers will enjoy it. The story about Job was a bit disappointing. I honestly wished Job would have really taken God head on as the story suggests he might, so the ending seemed a little weak. I did like the idea overall, but I thought the story could have been stronger. By the way, the opening story, the one about the deluge, interesting idea too. I liked that one, and I think it is worth a look. Overall, I think the anthology is worth reading, but with the caveat that the quality of stories is not consistent. I am still curious enough that I would seek some of Morrow's longer fiction. By the way, if you are easily offended, or you take your religion too seriously, this is probably not the book for you. If you are more open minded, jump right in.

[TheShrike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. Each one took about a half hour to read so they are nice bite-sized pieces. Funny, biting, irreverent
A theme among many of the stories is Godly irreverence and how silly - or murderous - God and the bible would seem if events occurred in modern times.

Quick hits on some of my favorite stories:

"Daughter Earth" and "Diary of a Mad Deity" both offer a novel perspective on how God came to be.

"Spelling God with the Wrong Blocks" may have been my favorite. Very funny twist on Creationism versus evolution. Science Missionaries!

"The Assemblage of Kristin" - moving story about many different people sharing something and what happens when one of them wants out.

"Bible Stories for Adults, No. 31: The Covenant" - So what would happen if the ten commandments were never revealed and the consequences for revealing them in modern times.

"Bible Stories for Adults No. 46: The Soap Opera" - Harsh critique of God's role in the story of Job.

Recommended for easy reading and some laughs.

[Abraham Thunderwolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you know me you know I like me a good bible story, one of my favorite movies is the 1956 version of The Ten Commandments (I used to really like The Greatest Story Ever Told, but I saw it recently and it's really underwhelming. It used to seem so majestic, but in the cold light of not being 10 years old the magic has dissipated) and so on. So when I saw this book I was thinking, are these perhaps even saucier versions? Sorta! It's a collection of some damn good stories, and while only four of them are explicitly biblical (ooh good album name), a few more do have a rich nougaty religious center (haha religious nuts), and there's one fantastic story told from Diana, she of the Trojan war's, point of view. That one might actually be my favorite, it's also the funniest one. All the stories are packed with some fine dark humor. And the weirdness, egad, the weirdness. Good times. It reminds me a little bit of Futurama...

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad but didn't wow me. The first story (unless I've missed something) seems to suggest that the Chinese are descended from a diseased whore who escaped the Biblical Deluge. I can only hope I've misread that one. The rest are quite fun -- quirky, irreverent, pointed critiques of religion which I always love (being a pagan or possibly an atheist, depending on the news). Asimov would like them, I think, as several of them employ robots to prove the essential inhumanity of mankind. I especially liked "Spelling God with the Wrong Blocks," in which a bunch of Creationist robots burn Darwinian heretics at the stake and await the Great Genital Coming (no pun intended, I'm sure). Morrow also wrote Towing Jehovah, in which God dies and his body gets towed south by a barge, and Only Begotten Daughter, in which Jesus has a sister, both of which I highly recommend.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

two stories stand out: the family that gives birth to a planetary globe that emulates human history (ending with a near-utopian glimpse of the world utterly sold out to environmental protection because of the authors recounting of the episode in his little newsletter...oohhhhhkay), and the Abe Lincoln story, in which Abe tries Burger King and sees an America not forever altered by the Emancipation Proclamation, witnessing the legal homicide of a Massachusetts golfers slave, right on the golf course. Morrow has keen insight, and even when hard on religion, still delivers a surprising ray of hope.

[Michael Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twists on biblical stories and more: implications of Moses destroying the tablets before reading the 10 commandments; a woman gives birth to a mini planet; God tries an improvement on his Tower of Babel solution to Man's hubris; the creationism versus evolution controversy is flipped on its head; and more. I really liked most of the short stories here. Morrow is insightful and funny.

[Bethany H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't believe no one else named my favorite story - Diary of a Mad Deity! I wouldn't call the stories uneven in quality; they're all just fine, interesting, but not stellar. Until you get to that story, the second to last one. In that one, his style of writing and the ideas flow together perfectly and it all just works. Maybe it's not a Bible Story exactly, but it still worked for the theme of the book.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

(More like 3.5 stars)

James Morrow is a wonderful writer who examines deep truths about religion and our culture. This collection of his short stories shows his sharp mind at work, but unfortunately Morrow's mind needs more room to move. The best stories here feel like treatments for potentially longer works, good ideas that need development. Also, some of the work and references have become somewhat dated. Still, some strong, thought-provoking, and humorously blasphemous ideas.

[Keith Bowden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hahahaahahhaaaa!! Not every story is, strictly speaking, connected to the Bible or even Judeo-Christian-Islamic mythology, but some great satire here. Loved the final story where Helen finds out that the Trojan War is being fought over her. (This is toward the end of the war, when she's no longer so young and pixie-ish.) Great fun.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot of short fiction and even when it'a writer I really like, it can be hard to maintain a constant high level of quality. This is one the best, most thought provoking collection of stories I have ever read. It should be required reading in all high schools (although it would probably give the censors a brain aneurysm).

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty cool collection. Morrow has some very original/quirky ideas and most of the time he pulls them off. Some of them are on the absurd side and remind me of Frederic Brown. My favorites were -No. 31: The Covenant- and -No. 46: The Soap Opera-.